The Augustana Catholic Church (ACC), formerly the Anglo-Lutheran Catholic Church (ALCC) and the Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran (ECCL), is a Lutheran church in the Evangelical Catholic tradition. The church claimed a membership in excess of 60,000 in 12 countries.[1] Although it no longer has a presence in the United States, the Augustana Catholic Church is active in Haiti and Ecuador, as well as in certain African countries.[2]
| Augustana Catholic Church | |
|---|---|
 Official logo | |
| Classification | Lutheran |
| Orientation | Evangelical Catholic |
| Polity | Episcopal |
History
The Church was founded by Irl A. Gladfelter Jr., a dentist and a retired US Lt. Colonel. He directed it until his resignation in 2011.[3][better source needed]
On May 15, 2009, and again in 2014, the Augustana Catholic Church officially filed a formal petition to enter the Roman Catholic Church "as a unified body" in whichever form the Pope of Rome and the Curia decided as most appropriate. The ACC's petition was filed with the Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and is before the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.[when?] It was a separate petition from that of the Traditional Anglican Communion.[4][5]
The group is active in Haiti, Ecuador, and African countries.[2]
Doctrine
The Augustana Catholic Church accepted papal primacy and papal infallibility even though it was not under papal control.[6]
Full communion
The Augustana Catholic Church established altar and pulpit fellowship (full communion) with the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches.[7]
See also
- High Church Lutheranism
- Independent Catholic churches
- Porvoo Communion, European communion of Anglican and Lutheran churches